Banjo-Kazooie spiritual successor teased by ex-Rare team

Are you still carrying a torch for the glory days of Banjo-Kazooie? Well, while Rare occasionally raises its eyebrows and winks knowingly about resurrecting the bear and bird duo, several former members have announced they're working on a spiritual successor.

Playtonic Games - composed of six former Rare staffers whose experience stretches from Donkey Kong Country to the Kinect Sports series - announced Project Ukulele this week. The studio says it hopes to create "a worthy spiritual successor to those fondly remembered platforming adventures we built in the past".

Playtonic isn't saying any more for now, but it also released the teaser image you can see above. It features two pairs of bright, cartoony eyes surrounded by lush jungle vegetation, and do I detect the outline of a beak between the beadier pair? And the lower set seems to be surrounded by brighter, flared patches. Like a gecko, maybe? Oh my God, is this the return of Gex, too?!

Phew, I've calmed down after that paragraph break, and I can now say with near certainty that it is not, in fact, the return of Gex. Anyway, Playtonic says Project Ukulele is still very early in development, and the studio hopes recruit fans to help shape its direction as things begin to take shape.

Rare, meanwhile, has never ruled out the possibility of another official Banjo-Kazooie game, but also hasn't made any public plans since 2008's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.